Hmm... They sure are some pudgy feet, but that is normal for some breeds. Are you sure she's a purebred? Some Game fowl have incredibly thick legs and feet. I've had some hens with fat feet, some breeds were actually bred for it back in the days when chicken-foot soup was still a thing. I've also got some hens with skeletal looking feet, but it's just genetics.

The pudginess is well distributed, evenly, not obviously isolated to any area, it seems proportionate, so I think it is just genetic.

Interesting that she also has the lack of proper flank feathering I saw in the birds of a breeder near me recently, they were buff brahmas though --- is this absence of proper flank feathering common to the breed? Are you in Australia?

The pudginess is well distributed, evenly, not obviously isolated to any area, it seems proportionate, so I think it is just genetic.

Interesting that she also has the lack of proper flank feathering I saw in the birds of a breeder near me recently, they were buff brahmas though --- is this absence of proper flank feathering common to the breed? Are you in Australia?

Best wishes.

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Im in N.Y.state. First time chicken mama, lol. What is this flank feathering that you mention? Can you point it out in a photo? Thanks.

Im in N.Y.state. First time chicken mama, lol. What is this flank feathering that you mention? Can you point it out in a photo? Thanks.

But from the side, below, you see those same very soft, fluffy feathers extending over the flank area as outlined, an area which in pretty much most other breeds I know of (barring Silkies and other feather mutations, obviously) has normal feathering instead.

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Normally, the feathers on the outlined area of her body there should be identical to those on her chest, not to those under her tail.

It's not some terrible fault, but I think it might be a problem for anyone intending to show birds, since breeders seem to discard or sell on animals with this trait rather than retain and breed them. Maybe a minor fault, I don't know, I don't show birds. Nothing to worry about anyway, as far as I know.

I see. All my girls are hatchery. Like a lot of first timers, I had no idea of the differences from hatchery type and breeder type. I plan to get some Cochin, Orpington and Brahma from good breeder stock in the spring. I definitely love my girls, but also see the beauty of well bred hens!

I see. All my girls are hatchery. Like a lot of first timers, I had no idea of the differences from hatchery type and breeder type. I plan to get some Cochin, Orpington and Brahma from good breeder stock in the spring. I definitely love my girls, but also see the beauty of well bred hens!

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Hmm, interesting, your girls are dead ringers for the ones I saw which were breeder-bred, i.e. by an enthusiast rather than a mass hatchery... Wonder how many generations out of a hatchery they were?

And your Brahma there is miles ahead of I think possibly even all other hatchery Brahma I've ever seen in terms of being bred close to breed standard, well, the little I know of it, anyway. Not bad for hatchery stock!

Hmm, interesting, your girls are dead ringers for the ones I saw which were breeder-bred, i.e. by an enthusiast rather than a mass hatchery... Wonder how many generations out of a hatchery they were?

And your Brahma there is miles ahead of I think possibly even all other hatchery Brahma I've ever seen in terms of being bred close to breed standard, well, the little I know of it, anyway. Not bad for hatchery stock!

Best wishes.

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Thank you! I think she's beautiful. She's my favorite girl, so gentle and quiet. The hatchery I ordered from is local and I've since read a ton of bad reviews about them. Not about their bird quality but about them being dishonest and difficult to deal with. I won't go to them again.